Advancing for Patients

A popular topic of discussion in clinical research in recent years has been giving more power to the patient. In the current landscape of complex trials and a plethora of technology solutions available, it is important for us to maintain focus on our most important stakeholders—patients. While technology has streamlined many operational aspects of clinical trials, it is also being leveraged to access more potential participants.

At the most recent DPHARM conference, Applied Clinical Trials spoke with Jill Pellegrino, CEO of AutoCruitment. She gave an example of how clinical technology is now being applied to patient recruitment. “We can collect their (patients’) medical records very easily for them, and then we have AI-powered technology that reviews those records and organizes that data and assesses it to see if they're eligible for the protocols,” she said.

This November issue of ACT explores innovations such as those and how they are empowering patients.

The series of feature articles begins with a use case in a hospital setting on how artificial intelligence can be leveraged in patient recruitment with the hope of boosting enrollment. There is great potential in harnessing unstructured patient data, which can aid in meeting critical recruitment metrics. Following is a piece on the principle of net treatment benefit (NTB). NTB empowers patients to play a more active role in their treatment journey by offering transparency and personalization in the evaluation of treatment effects.

We also present an article exploring recent trends in patient recruitment advertising. It includes metrics and data from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. Rounding out our November feature coverage is a piece on the complexities of timely data collection.

Also in this issue, we are happy to introduce a new column to our usual slate. Authored by long-time ACT contributor Hugo Stephenson, MD, co-founder and executive chair, TrialScreen, the column will highlight current trends in trial engagement. In his first installment, Stephenson explores the importance of weighing data and trust equally in patient recruitment and retention strategies.

As always, thanks for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr is president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences®